Archive - Illinois
Banks Face New Rules on Foreclosures from Skeptical State Judges
Banks, claiming they've improved their foreclosure processes, have been refiling their cases in court. But in a few states, judges have been skeptical.
Gov’t Has Spent Small Fraction of $50 Billion Pledged for Loan Mods
Data obtained by ProPublica show how much has been spent through the government’s mortgage modification program (HAMP). Our data show how much has gone to each mortgage servicer.
As Deportations Increase, So Have Officials’ Attempts to Deport the Wrong People
New data show that in recent months, immigration judges have rejected almost a third of all deportation cases brought by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Dukes of Moral Hazard: The Dangers of Quantitative Easing
Across the world, there are booms. Chinese Internet companies are flourishing. Energy companies are finding new sources of power. Commercial real estate is coming back.
ProPublica and PolitiFact Test Obama Claims on Stimulus
President Obama's assertion about stimulus projects -- that most have been completed ahead of schedule and under budget -- has some merit. Competition has pushed bids down and several measures suggest projects are being finished on time. But claim that the majority of the work is ahead of schedule is unproven.
Most Doctors Take Industry Perks, New Survey Shows
About 84 percent of doctors who responded to a nationwide survey reported having some type of relationship with pharmaceutical or medical device companies in 2009.
When Needles Dislodge, Dialysis Can Turn Deadly
Medicare rules do not require dialysis clinics to tell outside authorities about lapses in patient safety, even if they result in injuries or deaths. One model: The Department of Veterans Affairs, which has adopted mandatory reporting of accidents and near-misses to save lives.
Spill Panel: Driven by 'Compulsion' to Finish Well, BP’s Procedures Increased Risk
The national commission investigating BP’s Deepwater Horizon disaster cleared the company of accusations that it prioritized profit over safety, but also questioned the company’s “compulsion” to finish the well, finding that its procedures “introduced additional risk.”
Science Says Methane in PA. Water Is from Drilling, Not Natural Causes
Testing has shown that methane gas in water wells across the country matches the methane being drilled for natural gas supplies. But a woman quoted in a New York Times report hinted that in Pennsylvania -- despite state official's conclusions to the contrary -- that may not be the case.
In Dialysis, Life-Saving Care at Great Risk and Cost
Every year, more than 100,000 Americans start dialysis. One in four of them will die within 12 months -- a fatality rate that is one of the worst in the industrialized world. And dialysis arguably costs more here than anywhere else. Although taxpayers cover most of the bill, the government has kept confidential clinic data that could help patients make better decisions. How did our first foray into near-universal coverage, begun four decades ago with such great hope, turn out this way? And what lessons does it hold for the future of health care reform?
Read the Leaked P.R. Plan to Spin Our Dialysis Investigation
The umbrella group Kidney Care Partners (KCP), an advocacy and lobbying organization for dialysis providers, patient groups, drug companies and others, drew up a plan to respond to our investigation into dialysis care.
Editor's Note: How We Got the Government's Secret Dialysis Data
After two years of delays, the government recently fulfilled ProPublica's request for data that track whether death, hospitalization and infection rates at dialysis clinics are better or worse than expected.
Fed Panel on BP Decision-Making: "More Complicated" Than Sacrificing Safety for Cost
Workers drilling BP's well in the Gulf never made a "conscious decision" to prioritize profits over safety, according to the presidential panel investigating the spill.
Despite Warnings From States, Federal Regulators Failed to Act on Foreclosure Problems
The federal government, warned years prior of potential problems with banks' foreclosure operations, failed to act, according to The Washington Post. Now, they're leaving it to the states fix the mess.
Newly Discovered Warnings About Headley Reveal a Troubling Timeline in Mumbai Case
Federal inquiry suggests flawed information-sharing and an overwhelming flow of intelligence kept U.S. investigators from identifying the threat posed by an American terrorist.
Corrosion Warnings at BP Facilities in Alaska: Here’s What the Data Mean
Following up on our earlier reporting, we explain what it means that 148 of BP's pipelines in Alaska have been ranked for "failure" by BP inspectors, according to documents we received from BP workers.
